breathe
by yekted
Summary: "You didn't think you'd end up as one of those creatures, huh?" Carlos stares at the ocean; it's waves gently hitting his sand covered toes. He swallows hard before answering. "No, not really, no." WEREWOLF AU [Jaylos/Jarlos]
1. inhale,

Carlos faintly remembers when his mother loved. He remembers when their minds weren't corrupted and haunted by all the gruesome images they've seen through their line of work. He remembers when her face was all wrinkly because of how much she smiled. Now her mouths always twisted into a scowl or into a straight line. But it's hard for him not to love her. He remembers when he was young and he'd twist his ankle, she'd come running like a bullet. Now it's patch it up and keep moving. And he gets that. He _truly_ does. But she's demanding now, a bit abusive, more physically then verbally. But she says it's to toughen him up.

And he believes her.

So he's a bit astonished when he walks into their petite motel without the hide of his catch and she doesn't slap him.

He carefully closes the door behind him, making sure it doesn't slam. He drags his feet to the kitchen. Its counter is piled with dirty dishes that Carlos will undoubtedly have to clean. He sighs and unzips his pack open. He pulls out his gun and gently places it into the drawers. He then pulls out his bottle of moonshine and place it in the cupboards. He later grabs out his weapons made of sliver and hides them under his pillow. He slides the empty pack under his bed when the door to his mother's room clicks. He freezes.

"Carlos," Her voice is low and filled with expectance. "did you get that werewolves hide I had asked for _yesterday_?"

"No ma'am" He says. She sighs heavily in disappointment and Carlos's heart chips a bit.

Just a bit.

"Carlos it's just a simple werewolves fur! I shouldn't be that hard to get!" She growls, she's grabbing at her hair and pacing the room. It makes Carlos anxious.

"I know, it's just.. They're advanced and fast. And it's the big city so it's not likely for them to be here. And it's in to mornings and they hate the mornings and." His mother shushes him with a growl.

"Well, common sense says you obviously go in the _night_ , Carlos."

Carlos swallows." But.. by myself?"

"Yes by yourself, don't be a wuss they're not even that bad."

"Yea but," He snorts; grabbing back the backpack and his needed weaponry. It's heavy and nearly brings him to his knees when he slings it across his shoulders. "that's like.. suicide,"

He assumes she doesn't care about his well-being when she snorts and heads back to her room.

"Get me my damn coat or you ain't getting shit for dinner,"

He sighs heavily and readjusts the bag on his shoulder He's out the door in the blink of an eye.


	2. hold your breath,

He shudders as he enters the blistering air of Auradon. It's always been a cold in the night. He silently curses himself for forgetting to bring a heavier jacket.

He can hear the busying chatter of the citizens below the stairwell. Their faces are stony in concentration as they bark orders into their phones. He rushes down the stairs and finds himself getting swallowed into the crowd. They're all headed in different directions; some go left, others right. One jogs right past him, nearly knocking him over. He crosses the street, past the impatient cars and the buildings that tower over him.

While heading to his destination, he finds himself wondering where the crowds headed. _Probably home_. He thinks to himself. It's probably warm there, too. Maybe they've got a family back home, waiting anxiously for their arrival.

He secretly envies them. Living with such assurance that things that usually only haunt their nightmares aren't real. Or perhaps they know, but expect someone to deal with its burdens.

 _That person being a fifteen-almost sixteen, year old boy._

Unfortunately, the second one is usually the case. There have been a few stories on the news for Werewolf warnings, but their scarce, and it's usually mistaken. Besides, there's bounties for them, kill on sight.

Someone bumps his shoulder, and a cup of hot liquid is spilled onto his arm.

It stings a bit, like a bee sting.

"Aw, shit I'm sorry, fuck," A boys grabbing a napkin out of his pocket and handing to him. He's tanned and gaunt and he's been due for a haircut for a while.

Carlos waves him off "No, its alright, honestly, didn't even hurt,"

He snorts unbelievingly, "Dude, I just hot _coffee_ on you, and I know that shit hurts,"

Carlos sighs and grabs the napkin, whipping it off his arm. Once he's finished, he stuffs it in his pocket.

"Thanks," he whispers. He's slightly awestruck by the strangers' sudden act of kindness.

The stranger grins, and Carlos swears that his heart flipped. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't very attractive. Carlos bets he has all the girls swoon over him.

The stranger blends into the crowd, and Carlos feels a bit empty. Perhaps it made him feel as if he'd made a friend? He shakes his hand. No, his line of work is too dangerous for friends. He's learned that at an early age.

He continues onward, until he's found himself near the forest at the end of the city. There's a vibrant yellow type that has the words "CAUTION" printed on to it. It's blocking out the trail to the forest.

Carlos chuckles, as if they thought that would keep him out. He lifts the tape over his head and descends down the trail. Trees that could challenge Auradons buildings surround him.

Believe it or not, he felt safe here, alive to. Perhaps it's how the crickets greet him with their melodies, or how the smell of pine stings his noise, because he shouldn't feel alive or safe at all. It's full of things that go bump in the night; things that parents tell their kids live under their bed if they act up. He kicks a few pebbles and they land in bushes. He can see the stars he couldn't in the big city. If he had a get away area, this would be it. All of a sudden, he hears noises, and he freezes up. He then starts speed walking.

He hears a distant howl and quickens his steps. He hears rustles and scratches in the bushes and he's bolting through the forest. He throws himself the ground, the tree's extended branches protect him for now, he's out of range for the predator.

He quickly unzips his bag and pulls out the bottle of moonshine. He realizes he's a little bit more then petrified when it nearly slips out of his shaky hands. He grabs a knife made out of silver, just for safety.

The snarls are louder and he's quickly zipping his backpack up. He can feel the chills shiver up his spine. He tries breathing heavily as he tries to find the approaching wolf. When he catches a glimpse of near the bushes, he slowly grabs the bottle of wolfs bane. He uncaps it, readying for attack.

It jumps at him, snarls and everything. It brings Carlos to the ground as it pushes against his chest, trying to bite his face. He struggles to keep it at bay as he pushes the bottle of wolves' bane towards its nose.

 _Just like training, you're ok.. you're ok_.

It continues to gnaw at him, drops of saliva dropping onto his face. Carlos squeezes his eyes shut, waiting for it to inhale the poison.

When it doesn't he's panicking.

If it can't inhale the poison… that means he's a lycanthrope.

 _Shit._

Carlos is now literally panicking. He should've known, been more prepared. All werewolves are not the same. He's learned his. What happens if it kills him? Will his mother notice? Will she care? What will they do with his bones?

He's kicking and screaming, struggling to push it off. He squares his hands on his chest and pushes it off with great effort. He successful, and he bolts out the forest. He can hear its snarls getting closer as it chases him down. He can feel his legs aching for mercy and his lungs banging on his ribcage. His arms are blurred by the lack of oxygen, but it only fuels his speed. He can hear the claws on its feet scrap up dirt behind him.

In a moment of panic, he grabs the knife he's left in his pocket. He turns around on his heels so fast he nearly falls. Right as it tackles him, he thrust the knife. He hears a loud howl and the wolf goes limp, blood dripping from his hands as falls the ground besides it, gasping for oxygen. He can feel his hands shake. He's feeling nauseous, seeing the blood pour out of its stomach like a river. The blood on his hands doesn't deliver any help. He finds himself grabbing for the napkin and whipping the blood off his hands. He throws the blood stained napkin to the ground.

Now here comes the fun part.

He crouches to the ground, knife in hand. He digs his knife into its skin and begins cutting. It has a very common coat, not worth much. Its fur is gray with a few streaks of black. He can see a few scars from its previous battles. And he ends up wondering about the life he had so selfishly taken from it. Did it have a pack? Was it loved? Did it have a home with lots of food? Or was it strict? Was it unforgiving? He finds himself in the claws the guilt as he stops cutting. He looks down, its eyes are wide and unsteady. Was it scared? Did it know he would put up a fight? Carlos sure didn't know he would. He had expected to be 6 feet under a while go. It's only by the grace of a God he didn't believe in that he still was alive.

What's left of the wolf is flesh and bone. He grimaces at the sight, but also frowns. He felt like his mother, leaving it there like that. He grabbed a pile of surrounding leaves and covers it's corpse with it. He finds a little red leaf to put on top. It's a bit half-assed, but it's better then nothing. It folds the wolves fur into his bag and slings it across his shoulder. As he walks out, his neck feels a bit wet, and he notices that a streak of blood is stained onto him. Him grimaces and whips it off his hand. It was probably a scratch.

Not a bite.

Defiantly not a bite.

Hopefully not a bite.


	3. now try to breathe

The night melts into the day, but it feels just like one big knot of events. He can see the specks of light dance across the sky as the sun pokes its head out. He's exhausted as he stumbles up the stairs. His eyes are bloodshot and his hair is unruly. His hands are shaking as he tries to slip the keys through the door. They jingle and jangle before they successfully click. He pushes the door open and slings the weight off his back, it falls with a heavy thud and he collapses on the mattress. He grunts as he collides into it, it's more like sleeping on the carpet then actually sleeping on a bed. He hears the stomp of heels against tile and turns unto his side, facing the entrance to his mother's room.

She's wearing a black coat that drops to her ankles. It looks uncomfortable and itchy; and it is. Carlos wore it once; he had been playing with their neighbors when he was 5. He was a prince of a far away land and everyone bowed his or her heads as he stomped through the playground. He felt like a king. A loved yet fearful king

He got his first scar when he got home that day.

There's a faint smile planted on her face as she strikes poses in the mirror. She's called her coats many things. Her 'baby' her 'precious,' Carlos was ten when he finally realized those names didn't apply to him. And now that he's older, it doesn't hurt that much anymore.

She finally notices him lying on the bed and she freezes. Then there's a scowl planted onto her face as she picks up her cigarette and stomps her way over to him. His eyes follow her every step. He sighs with relief as she passes him to his bag. She snatches it greedily and unzips it. Carlos sees a faint glimmer in her eyes. It makes him happy. He's making his mother proud. Perhaps she'll say thank you? She turns it upside down and dumps everything on the ground. They all fall like fallen soldiers. Her eyes widen and she snarls in disgust. He can see her clench her teeth and a shiver of disapproval goes down his spine.

"Carlos.." She says, she crouches to pick up the bloody wolfs fur; she's using her index finger and thumb to hold it, like she's to disgusted to plant her entire hand on it.

"What?"

"How.. do you find this acceptable…?" Her voice is full of built up anger as she takes a drag of her cigarette.

He pushes himself up and leans unto the bed rest. "Well, yea, there's blood on it. I don't know what you expec-" His voice is small and meek as he tries to explain. He feels as if the four walls are shrinking in on him, suffocating him.

She steps closer to him, and he clutches the covers. She's scary when she's mad. She's ruthless and merciless. She's like the monster that lives under his bed; only he can't kill it.

She balls it into a fist and shakes it in front of his face. Her face is calm when she does it, but her eyes are letting a caged lion loose.

She throws it to the ground harshly. She's unappreciative and it makes Carlos furious. He worked his ass off to get that; he was ridden with guilt all the time that he cut that fur off.

"Turn around," Her voice is stony and emotionless. And it makes him shiver. She disposes of the cigarette only to get a new one and light it. His eyes widen

"Please, no."

"Turn around and take your shirt off," It's a growl now.

He complies as he unzips his jacket and takes his shirt off. He's shaking all over and he knows it. He fingers slip under his flannel and pulls it over his head.

"Please, I'm sorry, this won't happen again I swear _please_." He whispers. He's holding back tears but a few escape and drip down his pale, freckled face.

She ignores him and grabs her cigarette. If Carlos thought hard, he would think his mother found pleasure in hurting him, making him scream until his throats raw and sometimes pass that. When his eyes are all red and bloodshot from the crying. But he knows, deep down, he deserved it. He didn't bring what she wanted and now he's getting punished.

When the first burn from the cigarette is planted unto his back, he jerks away from it, he bites his tongue to surpass a scream. She digs into his shoulder and grabs him back, planting him to the spot.

When the second one hits he cups his face into his hand and screams. He kicks his legs to distract himself from the pain but it just worsens. It usually doesn't hurt like this. But she's aiming for the tender spots, the spots she's done before.

By the time she gets the sixth one in, he's broken. There's snot and tears and the balling of the covers. His lips are bruised from biting it so much. He can taste the blood dripping from it. It's metallic and sweet. He licks his lips and he can't tell if it's to get it off or to taste more.

When she's finally finished and left, Carlos snatches his shirt off from the ground and pulls it over his head, he smooths it out as he heads for the door. He can hear the birds sing as the Suns warmth envelops him. He sniffles a bit as he slams the door to their motel and marches down the stairs.

He's going for a walk.

 _ **(Thank you all for your support the first two chapters! I have rushed this so you'll see some errors. I plan on editing these all out sooner or later. Please remember to comment (or review) about errors or how I could make this any better. The comments some of you left and kudos/follows and favs left me smiling and jumping all day through school. Another chapter will be uploaded tonight, Will Carlos start noticing the symptoms yet?**_ _ **J**_ _ **)**_


	4. ache

The sun wraps him into an embrace as it sinks into his skin, as though it's cleansing him of his impurities. The wind hums softly as the birds sing their melodies. They were coupled by shrills of nearby cicadas. His foul mood soon withered away, leaving nothing but detailed memories he'd tuck into the back of his mind.

His home used to be a safe house, a place where we would shelter from the thundering storms that would leave him with restless nights. Now he longs for the storms. To let them cleanse him. And when they roar and anger, he'll join in, let everything he's built up just pour out of him.

But now he's living with the monster under his bed. Where he feels that each day the dingy walls are closing in on him. Suffocating him. For he cannot escape, but he's granted the freedom of fresh air.

He's sprinting down the stairs, they groan in protest but Carlos doesn't slow down. The streets are filled with children with stars for eyes and sunlight for teeth. They run like ripples through a lake as they play tag. He runs past them, past the parking lot, past the buildings that make him smaller then he already is, and through an alleyway. He grabs his knees and sucks in a deep breath when he reaches his destination. It's a rundown Ice cream parlor. Its curtains that used to be a melancholy blue; have been worn out to a pastel blue. Its floor is nothing but hard concrete; he can hear his echoes bounce off its dingy white walls.

He brushes his fingers on the walls; they occasionally met ripped off pieces of paint.

Carlos doesn't know what it is that makes him keep coming. His wallet only carries holes and the absence of money. It's not popular amongst the city, only few parents bring their child here for the promise of ice cream.

But then he remembers when a pair of blue skies that hide behind glass land on his freckled face. He remembers when he sees that smile that reminds him of what friendship feels like. It's because his friend works here, or the closet thing he's got to a friend, anyway.

"Carlos!" He shouts, his mouth stretches into a grin and Carlos cant stop the one that appears on his as well.

He's pulled into a bone-crushing hug. Carlos nearly gags at his friend's stench. It's the mix of sweat and ice cream; a scent Carlos's nose never wished to experience.

"Doug" He says as Doug lets him go. He sighs as his nose is given mercy. Doug's always been a person who observes. Every since they meet in this shop of memories, he's observed Carlos like a lab specimen. When they first met Doug called him lively. Now, though Doug doesn't dare let the words slip, he's more like 'broken.' H can see the words bubbling in his eyes, along with unnecessary pity and sympathy.

"I'm fine," Carlos blurts out.

"Are you sure?"

"Yup," He doesn't hesitate when answering, though the word ' _no_ ' did find it's way unto his tongue. Doug nods, obviously knowing his place.

"Want some ice cream?"

"I'm broke."

Doug wiggles his eyebrows, "It's _free_ ,"

Carlos gasps. "Marry me."

Doug chuckles as he heads to the back, there's a million different flavors, he can see them, and they're taunting them. He licks his lips.

He rubs his hand over his neck; he's surprised when he feels a swollen lump instead of a scar. He slides his fingers down near his collarbone, only to find smaller bumps in its wake. His brows furrow in confusion. It was a dull ache, as though he'd been stung by a bee, only it's stinger hadn't fallen out. When he stares to examine his hand, it's shaking. It doesn't subside until a few seconds later.

"Hey," Doug's voice breaks through Carlos's concentration with a wrecking ball; he turns around and forces a smile.

"You alright?" Doug says, handing the cone to him.

"Yea." Carlos says, clearing his throat 'Yea, yea I'm ok." He repeats, but it's more so to reassure himself then Doug.

Doug shrugs it off, noting it off as a 'Carlos thing,'

Afterwards, they dive into conversation, mostly about Doug's science grades. Doug's never been great with science, always math, but never science. Fortunately, he's got Carlos. Carlos will babble on and on about the wonders of science even when he's long forgotten his question. He's like a broken record when you get him going. He only stops when he realizes when it's afternoon.

"Wow, thanks Carlos," Doug says, scratching his hide slightly. "Defiently wouldn't have done it without you,"

A smile dances unto his face, it's bright like the stars that dot the skies in the night.

He pats Doug's shoulder before heading out. The cicada's screams are now a faint murmur, though loud enough to keep a child up. He can hear the faint shouts of children's parents calling them home for dinner, and their protest that soon follow afterwards.

His head starts pounding once he's a few blocks down. His throat is dry even though he's drunk an entire lake full of water. He can hear the sound of drums louder then New York's traffic inside his head; repeating the same rhythm over and over. He bumps into a few people; he whispers an inaudible 'sorry' as they glare at him. He keeps rubbing his neck, even though he's sure it's making it worse. The drums are like thunder crackling in his ear, and he can't hear. He can feel sweat drip down his forehead as he whips it with his sleeve.

The streets are getting more crowded and he's afraid he may not make it back home. He's letting the current of the crowd lead him. He doesn't even notice anything anymore. A few men in tux push by him, he nearly topples over. Everything's blended into one big blob of color, he squints, but his vision is going in and out of focus. The drums are getting louder and he can feel hot liquid leak out of his ear. He doesn't need to see it to know its blood. He feels his knees give out and a faint glimpse of a red beanie before he hits the sidewalk.

But the drums haven't stopped _beating_.

 _A/N_

 _ **(I literally fangirl over anyone who leaves comments or likes/favs. It's weird. Sorry, I felt like the beginning of this chapter was cool, but near the and I lost the feeling. Anyway, I've gotta get on top of my grades in school, I've gotten sick with a bug that's been gong around, so it's my mission to spread it on through the school. Anyway, I really like Doug, and I feel as if Carlos at least needs a buddy. So he's got Doug. I really don't like where this story's headed, but I'll keep riding through it to see what happen**_ s.)


	5. growling

It's the strong scent of perfume that surfaces him. It's coupled with a set of voices Carlos cannot recognize. They're muffled under the waves of his unconsciousness. He can tell one's a woman, for her voice is soft, yet ferocious all the same. It holds familiarity as the waves rock him to the shore. Another voice comes roaring in, the ocean's waves push him towards the shore, and Carlos can feel the sand tickling his toes. It rubs against his skin irritably. There are colors of red and orange with a mix of pink dancing in the sky, mixing into each other.

When Carlos's eyes flutter open, he is no longer on the shore of an island. He can longer see the colors that danced in the sky, forming a sunset. His nose can faintly smell the scent of the perfume. It's more of the crackling fire and the smoke of its wood that his nose can smell. He's in a bed that's not his, and he more or less chokes on the panic. It smells like wood and warmth. It's nothing like his bed, and Carlos craves for more seconds to blissfully lie in that bed.

The floorboards creak as he plants his feet unto the ground. The fireplace places a sense domesticity as it paints itself unto the pale walls of the household. He looks out the window in the kitchen, he could see the Sun hiding behind the towering trees that surrounded and towered over they. He could tell they were pine, for the scent stinged his nose more so then the perfume.

He can hear the murmurs upstairs as they try to be confidential with their conversations. Unfortunately for them, he can hear it all. He can hear the birds chirping and the cicadas humming. And for some reason, he finds it unpleasant. It's deafening and he finds himself walking to the couch to soon after sink into it. It's soft and comforting.

It doesn't lessen the noise.

He can hear water rushing a mile away, and he can hear passerby's talking about their personal lives; something Carlos has no interest in knowing. He sinks into the couch further, willing it to swallow him whole.

"You can't just take a stranger off the street like that, Jay" her voice comes booming in like thunder, it's ferocious and demanding. Carlos covers his ears with the nearby pillows, it only helps a bit.

"The guy passed out right in front of me!" Carlos remembers that voice; it's the voice of kindness and security. It's deep and husky. Carlos decides he likes that voice and never wants to stop listening to it.

"That's not our problem. His family could be looking for him. He could be important, he might think we've kidnapped him."

Carlos could hear the pause and the sigh that soon followed.

"Well, I couldn't have kept him there. What'd you want me to do Evie? Just walk past him?"

"No, no you shouldn't have, that's not what I'm saying." He could hear the subtle change in her voice. Was it sympathy? Pity? Carlos frowned. He hated both.

After awhile, they've quieted down. Carlos assumes they've realized he'd woken up; he is just grateful they realized it sooner or later. He can hear the stairs creak behind him as their footsteps echo through the house. He removes the pillows from his ears. They feel as though they're burning.

Carlos can recognize the scent of perfume once again, but it's much, much stronger then before. He decides the breathe through his mouth as he stares at the source of the fragrance.

He witnesses the Queen of the universe herself. She's got the ocean's deep navy waves for hair, and her eyes are the night sky without stars. He's unsure if he should get on his knees and beg for forgiveness or not. He notices fear swimming around in her eyes, and his brows furrow in confusion She lunges at him, and Carlos nearly tips over the couch in shock.

"Oh God, your eyes," She claims a seat next to Carlos as she examines his eyes. She's grabbing at him, and her long nails dig into his skin. Carlos tries moving away, but her grip is strong, plus it only makes her claws dig in more.

"Jay!" She shouts, it echoes through the cabin, and Carlos lets out an animalistic sound he didn't know he was capable of. She jumps back, eyes wide, and shouts Jay's names louder. It's thunderous and full of authority. The sound escapes again; only Carlos is able to define it as a snarl this time. He covers his mouth with his hands, but it just grows louder and louder each passing second. He can feel drool dripping out of his mouth, and he grimaces in disgust. Its echoes sound foreign to him; he'd never imagine such a sound to come roaring out of _his_ mouth. The only animal or _thing_ he'd every heard it come out of was a werewolf.

And Carlos is _positive_ he's _not_ one.

Next thing he hears are the slamming of feet against wood. It's loud and their echoes make Carlos growl louder. Carlos would've gasp if he could, but all his oxygen at the moment is being used to make the most horrid sounds he's ever heard. He's seen this boy before. The red beanie is no longer present, but he remembers him so vividly it's, frightening. He's pulled his hair into a ponytail; a few fly aways were present. His shirt was so tight Carlos wondered how he was even breathing.

He takes one look at him and starts examining him as well, He can feel his hot breathes against his skin, it makes him uncomfortable and he hasn't a clue why. Carlos tries not to growl, honestly, he does. But there's a beast within him, and Carlos's trying his best to restrain it.

He leans forward and snarls in his face, a few droplets of spit fly. He whips it off.

"It's started already," She mumbled to Jay. Carlos can't tell if he's glaring or if he's concerned for his well-being. His mouth is twisted into a scowl, yet is eyes are filled with pity. Carlos decides it's a mixture a both, or if anything, it's annoyance. Which does indeed surprise Carlos. If there was a boy growling and snarling and that looked about ready to gnaw him to death, he'd be gone like the clouds on a windy Sunday.

"It hasn't even been 24 hours yet," Jay whispers, but Carlos can still hear it. He must be really bad at whispering, Carlos thought.

Carlos would've asked what was happening if he wasn't trying to juggle the difficulties of growling and breathing all at once. The best he can give is the tilt of his head, which looks most like a restrained twitch.

They seemed to get what he was asking.

"Well, I suppose in about," He stopped to look at the clock, and then back at Carlos. "45 minutes, you'll be just like Jacob in Twilight," Said Jay, Carlos could hear the pity. He could see it, to. They weren't afraid of him, just sorry for him.

And that made Carlos _mad_.

 _ **A/N**_

 _ **Sorry, this chapter is so rushed! I will not have my computer for a while, so you'll have to wait for a while to get more :( I dislike this chapter a lot, but at least the action will start soon.**_


	6. the wolf

There was a sick atmosphere-shifting overhead them in the cabin, Carlos could practically taste it. It was filled with uneasiness and tension. There were no whispers or quiet murmurs, just the rustles of the leaves outside. Evie had told him if he breathed heavily he could gain control of the growling momentarily. He tried it, and was relieved when it had worked.

He could feel the eyes staring at him, Evie's and Jays, the two strangers. They just stare, they don't make a move to approach him, and so they stay in the kitchen, just staring. It makes him uneasy as he shifts on the couch. He can feel his hands shaking uncontrollably, but he doesn't want to see it. He's trying his best to stay calm; doing so would only break his focus. Thus, he stares at the clock, and counts down to forty-five minutes exactly. It's about 11:15, and he can hear the clocks every tick, he finds it comforting, yet burdening all the same.

He feels odd as well, the feeling in his stomach has stopped, but is only replaced with the feeling of something pressed against his chest; refusing to leave. And the bumps on his neck itch wildly. But he refuses to relieve it, he's practicing in the art of staying perfectly still, and so far he's mastered it.

It's now 11:23, and in the corner of his eye, a figure from the kitchen approaches him. But he doesn't acknowledge it; he's practicing the art of staying perfectly still, the art of tranquility. For he knows if he's not calm, startles himself a bit, then it'll quicken up the transformation, which is something he doesn't want, at all.

The figure sighs and stands directly in front of him. It's Jay, the stranger. He's met this boy before, on the sidewalk, in the bustling city outside.

"I know you," He says, he hasn't spoken so long, and he momentarily jumps back in surprise when hears it,

"And I know you," He winks, and Carlos's ears burn. He shakes his head and forces himself back onto the topic.

" Um, so do you know, exactly, what's happening to me?

Jay bites his lip and looks away for a moment, and then back at him, he clears his throat before speaking. "Well for one, you've been bitten," Carlos opens his mouth to argue, but loses the will to do so once the scene plays inside his head once more. He leans back into the couch and lets a little growl through. He can't lie and say he didn't chuckle when a timid shriek of surprise from the kitchen sounded through the house.

Jay coughed, and Carlos turned his attention back to him.

"Which means, you're changing, transforming, even. It goes at different rates for different people. For you, it's honestly going ridiculously fast,"

Carlos swallowed, hard. "Is that bad?"

"Well, I guess it depends if you want to change faster or not at all." He shrugs nonchalantly, and Carlos can feel a lump form in his throat. "Either way-

"It happens, I know," Carlos snaps, a suppressed growl only fuels his anger.

Jay raises his hands up in defense," Hey, no need to get mad at me."

He mutters a soft 'sorry,' before sulking back into the couch. He could only blame himself for his tragedy, and perhaps his mother. She was a selfish beast, as he was a selfless child. He could've told her no, though he'd know the consequences, it'd be better then this mess he'd gotten himself into to. He's in a house that smells of evergreen, with strangers who know what he does not.

"Who are you?" Carlos questions. He's in a cabin, with strangers, a house, with unknown people with unknown notions. The realization hits him like a wrecking ball. He doesn't know these people. His eyes widen with panic as he glances at both of them.

The art of Tranquility shattered, and their remains scattered unto the ground.

The slowly rises from the couch, fear in his eyes. It's 11:30, and the pressure on his chest is moving uncontrollably. His fingers are numb, and his teeth are chattering. Is he going mad?

"Hey, Carlos, you're fine, just sit down-"

"No," He growls as he shakes his head frantically. He wants to go home. Back to his mother, back to the closing walls. He doesn't want to be here.

The bumps on his neck itch uncontrollably, causing pain to shoot up his neck. He scratches at it, but it does nothing to relieve his pain. The trees at sound rustle with the whispering of wind, and he can hear the stomping of feet outside. It makes his ears throb as he covers them, tears forming in his eyes.

"Carlos, calm down, you're going through panic," Evie says, she'd saw the seen unfold from the kitchen. Her voice was gentle, but demanding.

"We need to take him outside, him being in here will only make him aggressive," Jay murmurs to Evie, but Carlos go hear it all the same.

"What, why?" Carlos shouted, they only stared at them, they eyes bore into him, as though he was a monster; and to be far, Carlos thought the same.

Evie gripped his hand tight, and led him to the door; Carlos tried to resist, yanking his arm away, but her grip was strong, and she was a stubborn girl. They navigated through the house quickly, Evie half pulling him half dragging him to the back door. She swung it open, and it hit against the wall loudly.

There was a dirt path that led into the forest; tall trees stood beside the path, it continued until the trees swallowed it up, showing only their evergreen leaves.

"Follow that path, I suggest you run down it, and don't stop running until you get to the end of that path," The winds whistled loudly as it flew past the trees and grass, swaying the flowers gently.

"And Carlos," she spoke, her face was stony, and her voice filled with warning. "Don't go past the waterfall." Carlos stared at Jay, who was only nodding in agreement.

Carlos's eyes narrowed in confusion, but he didn't have enough time to question them, for the ticking of the clock had stopped, and was now only ringing loudly in his ears.

It was 12:00.

She let go of his hand, and Carlos cautiously stepped unto the path, the dirt was wet as it squished under his feet, it made him feel fresh in a way he couldn't explain. The smell of the evergreen led him down the path. He let his legs take control soon after, sprinting down the path faster then he knew he could. Everything after was an entire blur. He remembered blinding pain, then relief, peace, and adrenaline.

He was no longer a boy, but a broad, white wolf. No longer himself, but a creature of the wild. He could feel the wind comb through his coat as he ran faster then the wind itself. Everything felt different, as though he was looking in a magnifying glass close up.

He stopped at the end of the path, where broad trees surrounded the roaring waterfall, and where flowers swayed with the wind. Where the city streetlights couldn't touch the sky, and the sky was filled with stars, and the stars danced with the fireflies.

He had prepared for this in he short amount of time he was given, though the shock of it was unbearable. He wanted to scream, spew out curses that only the wind would hear, but this new body of his was only capable of so much.

Carlos couldn't believe that everything he'd known about himself had changed. A few days ago, he was hunting these creatures, now he was one of them, with their sharp teeth and floppy ears. It surprised him, how he felt about this. Though he was mad and frightened beyond imaginable, he felt a strange, foreign feeling building up in his chest. It wasn't bad, nor did he think it was good all the same.

 ** _He felt Wild and Free, and he didn't know how to deal with either of those feelings._**

 **(A/N**

 **I'm a terrible author who doesn't update on stories on a month, only to come up with a new one (:. The beginning was ok, but I realized how long ago it was I ACTUALLY updated on this, so I rushed it up, Lol. No idea when the next chapter will be up, hopefully soon. -R.B)**


	7. IT'S COMING BACK

OK SO I LIED! THIS STORIES COMIN BACK FULL THROTTLE!

I made a stupid, stupid mistake. I guess things were just piling up on me, and i guess it messed up what I wanted and what I thought I wanted.

Anyway, this stories coming back. I did change a few pieces around here and there, but they were minor. My friends betaing write now.

Her names is thedevilgamer0, and she's from Wattpad, so show her some love!

So, yea. Sorry about this. But um, I guess we'll just pretend this never happened.


	8. waterfalls

The Sun rose high above the trees to start her reign. Carlos examined how the birds wake from their slumber, and how the songs they sang bellowed deep within them, only to let out. He found everything to be quite odd. How he was keeping a level head, yet everything was falling apart at the hinges for him at the moment. But, perhaps it came with the whole 'werewolf' package. He saw a worm wiggle from beneath the earth, and he heard the rustle from the trees. He felt wild, free, all new feelings he'd never wished to feel.

He waited a while, he listened to the brook babble nonsense and the frogs croak loudly as the cicadas hummed. He felt the wet dirt beneath him and lied down to curl upon himself. Everything felt tranquil, and the difference between his home and here was mind blowing. He could do whatever he pleased here, while there, it was a cage, and he was lucky enough to escape such a place as that.

Jay paced the living room as he eyed the clock. The cabin had become quiet ever since Carlos's departure, and it left Jay oddly anxious to retrieve him. He paced, and paced, and paced, until the feeling overcame him and he could pace no more. "I'm going to go get Carlos," Jay said. Evie, who had been cooking up a storm, had stopped and emerged from the kitchen, biting her lips and placing her hands on her hips.

"I have to get him," Evie frowned at him. "I _have_ to."

She shook her head. "No you don't, you just want to, there is a difference. Plus, this is not a freak show, I have enough inhuman creatures running around here as it is."

"Exactly, you've got me, Mal, and whatever behinds the waterfall, one more isn't going to do any harm."

"Yes, it will."

"Well," Jay said, grabbing his jacket, "I'll get him anyway, and then _you_ can tell him to piss off. I heard werewolves are _real_ good at puppy dog looks, too."

Evie opened her mouth, but closed it abruptly and blinked. She glared at Jay, but said nothing of protest when he walked out.

The crisp air pinched his ears as he sighed, frosted air reminded him of when he had once pretended he was a dragon with a certain freckled boy. But, that was a long time ago, and time seems to love leaving him with scars that are called memories.

He dialed Mal up soon after, anticipation killing him from the inside out. It's rings seem to echo in his ears before she finally answered.

'This is Maleficent's we have readings a twelve and open at five, but if you're a 'special' customer we can meet at my hou-"

" _Mal._ " Jay groaned.

"Oh, it's you." Mal scoffed, "What's wrong?"

"You were right, he turned," A chuckle could be heard over the line, "Of course I'm right, I'm always rightthe crystal ball never lies."

Jay rolled his eyes. "So, what happens next, what's our next step?"

"Bring him over, I want to get a good look at him. I want to see if it's actually him, if he's back, again."

Jay frowned. "It's him, I know it's him."

"Yea, of course you'd know. Since you're his _boyfriend_."

Jay nearly choked "What? Mal seriously-" Mal hung up.

Jay groaned and put his phone in his pocket. He ignored the heat the crawled up his neck and pinched his ears as he continued down the path.

It took a while for him to get there; the sky had turned into a battlefield of pink mixing into orange once he had finally arrived. The scene he was met with made him stumble to a halt before continuing onwards.

There lied a white wolf with smudges of dirt smeared onto it. He was curled into himself, snoring lightly. Jay simply stared for a moment, admiring such a thing, before snapping out of the trance, and began thinking of ways to peacefully wake him up without he risk of getting his face clawed off.

He could think of no peaceful ways. So he simply pushed him lightly with his foot, only stopping when growls emitted from the creature.

He then found a pointy stick from a bush, and began jabbing him in the side with it from a safe distance. Jay believes he may have irritated him more then waking it up.

He had soon grown tired of thinking of ways, and decided to do it the normal way.

"Carlos, wake your furry ass up," Carlos snorted and lifted his head up, eyes groggy, mouth drooling. He wagged his tail and his ears perked up once noticing Jay.

"Carlos, I'm going to do something that's for your own well-being, that means you cant bite me or scratch me." Jay announced.

Carlos tilted his head to the side as Jay kneeled down and placed his paw in his hand. Jay stared at him for a moment, the look of curiosity seemed to bubble in his eyes, but was soon replaced with stony determination. He stabbed his nail into the back of his paw, a thin trail of blood trailing down Jays thumb. Carlos lunged at him, but stopped midway. Jay scrambled away quickly, hiding behind a tree.

Heat was coursing through his veins as he panted. He closed his eyes tight, and when he opened them, a pale, red hand was replaced where a paw should've been.

"What? What did you do?" Carlos asked in between pants. His only answer was a backpack being thrown at him as he let a loud 'oof'.

"Those are your clothes, just, um, put them on?"

Carlos turns scarlet quick. His ears are hotter then the heat in his veins, and his cheeks feel as though they've been set on fire.

"Oh, um, sorry."

Carlos quickly put on clothing; he didn't bother to put on shoes, for he found himself liking the feel of dirt squishing between his toes.

Carlos whispers a quiet 'done' and Jay emerges from the trees, they try their best no to meet eyes, though they do, twice.

"So, what do I do now?" Carlos asks, there's a ping of sadness in his tone, but it's been covered up upon piles of confusion.

Jay sighs as they walk down a path Carlos has never gone down, "I take you to a friend, she wants to see you now, that you aren't exactly human."

"Oh," And that's all that is said between the two.

Carlos follows behind Jay as they navigate deeper into the thick forest. The sky grows darker, but Carlos is not afraid, as he once would've been. The stars watch down upon them as they approach a cozy cottage with the lights on, several fireflies dance around it as tall trees with thick canopy of lies surround it.

"Is that where your friend lives?"

Jay nods.

He knocks on the door twice, they're loud, echoing sounds that make the birds flee. The sound of furniture being toppled over and frantic shouts of 'Leave!' can be heard behind the door.

"What-"

"Don't ask, you don't want to know, you're to innocent."

So Carlos nods and pretends he doesn't see a half naked man run out the house.

The door slams open, and Mal stands behind it. Her purple hair mimicking a bird nest, and a few angry rashes trail down her collarbone. Her eyes widened upon seeing Carlos, and a something started to brew in her eyes, but she soon blinked, and it had been swallowed up by the green of her eyes before Carlos could recognize it.

"Were you getting ready for something else, too?" Jay mutters, and Carlos scrunches up his nose. Mal glares daggers at him.

"Yea, sure okay fuck you. Just come in, let's get this over with." She huffs as they enter. She keeps her eyes on Carlos as they enter. The couch has a variety of scratch marks, they're deep, and the fabric peels in result. The walls are covered in a horrendous tacky yellow that makes Carlos grimace. The chandelier sways above their heads as it bathes the room with its warmth.

Mal collapses into a chair and sighs heavily, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Come here," She says, pointing at Carlos. Carlos freezes, before cautiously walking towards her. Her mouth is turned into a frown, yet her eyes twinkle with sadness as she grabs his arm and pulls him closer. She scans him intently, observing him. She runs her hand up his arms. They're clammy and pale, and Mal's frown deepens, eyebrows narrowing. Her hands fly to his neck, and Carlos flinches when she runs her finger over the bruise. It throbs and aches, but not screaming. More like whispering uncertainties.

She leans back into her chair once more; Carlos steps back, standing beside Jay once more. "Well, you're not normal,"

"No shit, Sherlock,"

Mal glares at Jay, before continuing. "For a werewolf. You see, you're still going through the stages, even though you've already, well, changed."

"So, you're saying it's like I've changed, but my body and mind don't know it yet?"

"Yes, and no. If you look at your hand, it's already healed since the time Jay pricked you. So your mind definitely knows the body's changed."

Carlos takes a look at his hand, and sure enough, it had healed, only a pinkish scar lie where it once was.

"You can't go back home, that's for sure, you're not ready to go back to the city. But you can't stay here, just because I don't enjoy company."

Jay snorts, "Oh yes, you sure do despise company!"

"Okay, I officially fucking hate your ass."

"Bet you didn't say that to the guy who just left,"

Carlos stifles a great guffaw with his hand, but he shook with laughter all the same.

Mal turned red, from anger or embarrassment, Carlos wasn't sure. She eyed Carlos for a moment, eyes cold, before growling,

"Fine, I guess you can just go home, then, I don't care."

Carlos froze, and Jay looked down at him for a moment. His mother, he had forgotten all about her! How could he have done such a foolish thing? Will she go looking for him, is she looking now? What will happen if she never finds him? Will she simply give up? No, no, she'll find him. And then she'll find out what he was now.

Carlos shook his head frantically. "No, bad idea, I can't go home."

Jay's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "Why not?"

"My mom, my mom, she'll skin me. You can't let me go home." Carlos pleaded, his voice shook from fear, and he dug his nails into his palms. He didn't want to go back, to those dingy walls and croaking floorboards. His mother would find out, no matter how hard he could try to cover his scent with soap. She would know, and then she would _whip_ him and turn him into one of her precious coats. He took a deep breath that rattled in his bones, and let it out as it stung his chapped lips.

Jay shook his shoulder, and Carlos was brought back. Jay was in front of him, dark eyes scanning him worryingly, as was Mal's.

"You can stay with us, then. With me and Evie." Jay announced. Carlos opened his mouth to protest, not wanting to be a burden, but he closed it, and simply mouthed a quiet, 'okay'.

They left Mal's house soon after. Well, she more so kicked them out, saying she had another 'client' in 20 minutes. She locked eyes with Carlos for a few seconds before he exited, a silent 'sorry' passed from them, and perhaps there was something more, but he couldn't identify it. So he simply nodded and headed out with Jay.

There were no stars when they left, and no fireflies to take its place. It was just the moon and their frosted breathe.

"Thank you," Carlos murmured, but Jay continued on, as though he hadn't heard him, however, a squeeze of his hand notified him otherwise. And if they stood a little closer together that night afterwards, no one commented on it.

Evie clutched her bag tightly to her chest as she roamed the streets of Auradon. The streetlights flickered beneath her as she quickly turned the corner of an alleyway. She bit her lip as she entered the ice cream parlor. She sat on one of the stools, and tapped her finger on the counter. Soon, Doug emerged from the back. His eyes scanned her as she sat beside her. Her eyes were swimming, and her mouth quivered.

"What's wrong?"

Evie smiled sorrowfully and said, "He'll know soon enough Doug, Carlos will know, and they'll he'll have to go behind the waterfall to that damn city again." She said, covering her face. "And then he'll forget everything again." Black streaks from her mascara fell down her face as she shook with tears. Doug sighed and rubbed her back as she shook with tears she could hold no more and kissed her cheek.

"No, he won't this time. We'll fix it, we'll fix him." Doug whispered, and when the flickering of the streetlights had stopped, and Evie's sobs had slowed, he made it a promise.


End file.
